AUGUHTA, Ga., NOVEMBER 8, 1843. 
No. 23. 
INDIAN CORN. 
E.cLr-ic:.s arid ki.n’s t/in ‘^R port of the Com- 
mittee on Cornf appointed uy ike Pian'ers’ 
Socisip of PairJizlj, ,iis rici, Soutk Carolina.” 
Jus. D \vis, iiiia, Chairnian. 
'^A propz' selecAon of s zed corn, is regarded an 
object Of gieal iiaportance; oecause as in the 
anuaal, so in the vegetiOie kingdom, ‘dike pro- 
duces like.” ikvery s^jccies in creation (the 
wnicnis piocreanve) may be improved in qual- 
it.- am lrautuines.s, by a judicious choice of 
breeders; the coiumrse of tne proposition hold- 
ing equaiiy good. T .vm mra, liae tne twin 
ewe, is most apt to pr iauce twain. 
■'The V'i.rieties of I.i.ainn Corn, may be sum- 
med up in two general classes, viz: the- gourd 
.seed and the flim corn; the hrst callea tae gourd 
seed, oecause of its similitude in shape to me 
.seed of the large gourd — and ;he liiut, so nam- 
ea, because of its flinty hardness. Amongst 
these tvvo general classes, there aie vaiieties of 
color — whue, yellow, pur.de and mixed colors — 
ah of wnich may be crossed, or amalgamated, 
bv' the deposit of the farina or anther oust from 
the tassel of one plant, upon the ear and stalk of 
the other species. 
“ Tti seed intended for planting, should be not 
only of the most proplific and best species, out 
also well matured. 
“ idiere is no doubt that the selection of seed 
is a iesi-ieratum in the growing of all pLirits. 
‘v-k query for cousilei atiun arises — which is 
the rnos. profita/Az m ihe planter, the pour d seed or 
flint? It must be admitted that the flint is the 
heaviest, according to measure, and contains 
more nutntivm muter; but it is equally certain 
tb-v. the gourd seed will measure mo.st irotn the 
acre, with equal advantages oinei wise, and sul- 
fi_ e it too to make u.^ more than the lo.ss o 
weight. Admitted, however, as an hypothesis, 
that mis should not be realized, 3'our co amitiee 
on .imer grounds, wouid givm the gourd seed a 
decided superiority. 
■ li IS more easily ground into meal: thiit}' 
bushels of gourd seed would be ground wiin as 
much ease as twenty-five of the flint. It is 
m -re digestible, horses and hogs masticate it 
with less difliculty. 
“f is observable, that the Indian corn is most 
peculiarly adapted to certain climates and soil: 
it is generally adiuiued, that the gourd seed corn 
will iinalU’- change into flint corn, if cultivated 
for a few years in the low country of feouth 
Carolina; and it is also admitted, that the same 
quality of lanhs will yield more corn in North 
Carolina or Tennessee, than in South Carolina. 
“Your committee, in thus contending that the 
flint is a degenerate corn, would merely add, 
that if the grain arrives at higher perfection in 
some climates north of South Carolina, it would 
be advisable to procure seed from tnence — pro- 
vided the due attention had been given to its im- 
provement. 
The following plan has been advantageously 
pu.'sued by the compiler and several of iiis 
friends, viz: before harvesting your crop, select 
from the most healthy and best bearing stalks 
the lowest ears, these gather with the inner husk 
on, or as it is called, slip shuck, which place 
carelully away in a safe place, until the season 
for planting, then take off the shuck and expose 
the ears (fora day or two before you shell them,) 
in the open air or sun, and to every three pecks 
of flint corn, mix one peck ol the large, white 
grain North Carolina or Collins’ corn. This 
will give you a cross between the flint and gourd 
seed, and a grain much admired by every plan- 
ter who has seen it. It will degenerate every 
year, ainl finally become flint corn; to prevent 
which, the gourd seed should be mixed with it 
every other year, it it can be conveniently pro- 
cured; but certainly everj' third year. 
“TVie best tinie for plamting. — The sooner we 
procure a stand, the more sure the crop, particu- 
larly in uplands. In low lands, subject to be 
overflowed; it will be unsafe (on account of 
spring freshets,) to procure an early stand. 
Corn planted in March, in general, has the ad- 
vantages ol the spring seasons and dews. — 
Whatever the reasoning may be, the experience 
of the intelligent planter will testify, that in 
three years out of lour, March corn rvill pro- 
euce the most abundant and peifect grained 
crop. 
“ The IMe corn is liable to run up tall and slen- 
der, bearing therefore smaller ears.. Indepen- 
dent of the advantage of a more abundant crop 
from early corn, it is an object to have the corn 
crop laid by soon, to enable the planter to look 
we.l to his other crops. Besides, it suits well 
lor the pea crop. 
“A third consideration is, the composition and 
fertility of the soil. If too much clay, (and if 
old land,) in a few days after a rain, it becomes 
too stiff for the plow, and too close ibr the roots 
to penetrate; it too sandy and porous, the 
strength ot the soil quickly evaporates, leaving 
the roots of the corn too much exposed to the 
action ol sun and air, in the heat of summer; if 
of a sandy bottom, as well as surface, the little 
strength of the soil both evaporates and sinks. 
“It is better economy to paj' soundly for a fine 
grit surface, and clay subsoil, (the land being 
level,) lor ten years use, than to cultivate a stiff 
clay, or coarse sandy land, in corn, free of 
charge. 
“A fourth consideration is, the prepara zm of 
the ground, and best plan of planting. All oli 
lands are the better prepared, by being plowed 
and open to the v inter freezes; and all plowings 
should be deep and close. 
“In planting it may be expedient to put in 
seed enough to accommodate birds and squir- 
rels, and still have a stand left; it is much bet- 
ter to thin out five plants, than to replant one. 
“i/' the stand is very bad, it will be safer to 
plow up and plant over again, than to replant, 
unless the replanting is done in time to tassel 
with the first planting.” Note. — Every planter 
must have observed, that in a field of corn w'here 
there are two different plantings, as soon as the 
first planting begins to tassel, the latter, though 
perhaps not as tar advanced in growth as the 
first, also immediately begins to shoot out and 
tassel; no doubt it is caused by the farina or an- 
ther dust of the former falling on the stalk and 
leaves of the latter. — Compiler. 
“ What IS the best distance? is the fifth interro- 
gatory in planting corn. This must be varied in 
different climates and soils; not so apt to fire in 
cold climates, it will there warrant closer plant- 
ing. On uplands, and in the hill, with one stalk, 
four by three feet; if two stalks, five by five 
feet. 
“The sixth inquiry is, the best plan of manur- 
ing corn ground. It would be lucrative in every 
sense, to manure corn hills without exception, 
whether the lands are old or new; if new lands 
are manured, their productiveness is increased 
I in the same proportion to old lands fertilized, 
and the planter is remunerated tenfold for his 
labor. To manure corn lands, open deep with 
the plow, (or hoe,) plant five grains in a hill, co- 
ver lightly with the hoe, (and if stable or yard 
manure, one handful,) follow after with a plow 
on each side, so as barely to make the mould or 
earth to meet over the manure. This will, on 
the whole, make a deep cover, but the manure 
will prevent ihe earth baking over the corn, so 
that it will still come up. 
“II the manure is not thus covered, (especial- 
ly cotton seed mai:ure,) its value is lost hy eva 
poraiion. 
“ The plan for cul ivation is the seventh consid- 
eration. When the ground is in good order 
the two first plowings should be ever very deep 
and close. This will cause the earth to retain 
moisture in summer, and the roots of the corn 
to run deep in the outset, so as to prevent the 
plow from cutting them too much in the after 
plowings, which should be shallow. 
“/?r the production of corn, let this be a rule — 
deep plowing in the spring, and shallow in the 
summer. Corn should be tended fast; that is to 
say, the plow should go over the ground every 
three (never less than tour) weeks. It is in the 
very nature of the soil, that in its cultivation, it 
should be stirred often; it should be turned to the 
sun and atmosphere. It the ground is not coiv- 
slitutionally hard, it is never loo dry to be plow- 
ed, but easily may be too wet. 
“Many destroy the present crop by one plowing 
where the ground is too wet; and unless the earth 
pulverises or crumbles as the plow breaks up, it is 
too wet. When the ground is plowed loo wet, 
the destructive effects are only prevented when 
a shower of rain falls before "the sun dries the 
earth. 
“Two hoeings are necessiry only \n a crop of 
corn; a light moulding after it first comes up, 
and a flat hill when laid by; lour plowings in 
poor ground and three may answer in rich 
ground, if the corn makes wi.h rapidity. The 
last icorking in rich ground should be when the 
corn tassels. To cut the roots when the corn is 
shooting, checks the giowih, thereby preventing 
the tassel from emitting the larina, and thus im- 
pedes the fecundation in the shoot or ear. 
“The eighth process of the corn crop is, to 
gather the blades for fodder. B)' gathering the 
fodder before the milky substance has become 
calcareous, many planters prevent the ears from 
maturing, and certainly loses much of its sac- 
charine and oily matter. In gathering fodder, 
never stop for clouds; to observe them not un- 
Irequendy insures a loss of lodder. 
“The ninth and last process is gathering the 
corn. Corn may be also prematurely gathered; 
producing, when gathered in this waj’, a wither- 
ed and shrivelled grain; this process should ne- 
ver be undertaken till the stalk has become 
drj".” 
If you intend keeping your corn any length 
of time, let it be harvested in the slip shuck. 
Holmes' South. Farm. 
The celebrated vine at Cumberland Lodge in 
Windsor Park, (Eng.) supposed to be the largest 
in the world, now contains 2,350 bunches 0} 
grapes, each averaging one pound weight. It* 
length is 138 feet, width 16, and it extends overs 
space ol 2,200 superficial feet. It has been pla»r 
ted lorly years. 
